Category: News

CLARE County Council has been urged to consider offering a Ryanair style ‘priority queue’ system at its Motor Tax offices as a means of raising revenue.

Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) told yesterday’s council meeting that some customers would be willing to pay a small charge in order to secure priority in the queue.

He said waiting times can be as long as 20 minutes in the office at the council’s headquarters on New Road.

Cllr Meaney said the council is about to embark on the process of preparing a budget and should consider new ways of raising revenue. “Maybe it is time we look at taking the budget airlines approach,” he explained.

Cllr Meaney further suggested that the council look at securing sponsorship for some of its flagship facilities.

He added, “I think the skate park in Lees Road would be an appropriate location for sponsorship from skate companies.”

Cllr Meaney was speaking after submitting a motion to the October meeting of Clare County Council.

The motion states, “Can this council consider developing innovative, alternative income sources given the challenging financial position facing Clare County Council. For example could this council allow advertising in or on property in its control or publications it produces? Are local authorities prohibited from generating funds in this manner?”

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) supported the proposal. “There is a need for us to be creative and innovative to close the shortfall in what it is we want to do as a council and what we can afford to do,” he said.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said it would be better for the council to wait to see the shape of the new Local Government Bill before making any financial decisions.

“We need to know what our scope will be to raise extra funding,” she explained.

Cllr Meaney said he accepted Cllr McCarthy’s comments but warned the council is already being hit by funding cutbacks.

He said he had been informed the money allocated to the council for the control of horses had already been severely cut.

“This is something we need to plan for in the event of further cuts,” he added.

THERE have been calls for more to be done to improve public lighting in estates around Clare amid growing concerns over an increase in burglaries.

Members of Clare County Council yesterday urged the local authority to intervene to repair lights in estates that have yet to be taken in charge.

It followed a motion tabled by Fine Gael councillor Joe Cooney. Cllr Cooney called on the council to “repair public lights in estates where the developer no longer exists and where the council have not taken in charge those estates throughout the county in the interests of safety and given increase in burglaries”.

Cllr Cooney told the meeting inadequate public lighting is a major worry for residents.

“There is concern out there. We are aware that anti-social behaviour is going on in some of these estates,” he said.

Supporting the motion, Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald (Lab) said the problem of bad lighting had existed for many years in Clare. He said many homeowners paid the household charge but had been left with inadequate services.

Cllr Michael Kelly (FF) said problems in estates were not the fault of residents.

“We have to provide lighting to those people in those areas,” the councillor said.

Cllr John Crowe (FG) said many of the lights could be repaired for as little as € 80. He said many people are “living in fear” because of the rise in burglaries in rural areas. “It’s an absolute scandal that we can’t afford to pay for these lights,” he added.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) told the meeting that residents of older estates also deserved to have adequate public lighting in their areas.

“We have estates in this town [Ennis] where the electricity was never connected to the lights and they are not on. They are also entitled to proper public lighting,” he said.

Director of Service Gerard Dollard said the council hopes to take 13 estates in charge this year.

He told the meeting that money to repair roads and lights in estates comes out of the council’s roadwork’s budget.

He said the council made a detailed submission on the taking in charge of estates to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government but had not yet received a response.

IT HAS finally been decided that the Kilrush Famine Memorial is to become part of the streetscape of Francis Street, but the town engineer will determine its exact location.

After much deliberation, Kilrush Town Council decided that the street where the 2013 National Famine Commemoration was held is to be the permanent home of the monument unveiled during the ceremony in May.

The local authority received just one response to a public consultation on the issues.

Groups and organisations involved with the commemoration had a number of suggestions however as to where in the town it should be located. Early suggestions that the Old Shanakyle Cemetery, where victims of the Great Irish Famine lay in a mass grave, would be the ideal location was ruled out.

Mayor of Kilrush Cllr Paul Moroney (Ind) said that the Kilrush and District Historical Society, the organisation that bid for the National Commemoration to be held in the heritage town, had indicated they would like the monument to be placed outside the town hall in the town square.

The mayor suggested relocating the dolphin sculpture in the square and placing the monument there.

At Thursday night’s meeting of the council, Cllr Marian McMahon Jones (FG) said that the dolphin could not be moved as it was part of a dolphin trail.

Town manager Ann Haugh explained that the two locations being considered were either side of the town hall or at two locations on Francis Street.

Cllr Mairead O’Brien (Ind) who was mayor during the commemoration told the meeting that the Famine Commemoration Committee agreed that Francis Street, outside Noel Ryan’s would be the preferred location.

“Ultimately we could put a bench there and a floral display and people could take time to sit at it,” she said.

As CCTV is proposed for that location, the council was unsure whether this would mean the monument may have to be placed elsewhere.

A location outside the Bank of Ireland on Francis Street was then proposed as another possible site.

The council voted to erect the monument on Francis Street and agreed that the town engineer would decide between the two proposed locations on that street.

CLARE County Council could yet take legal action against the consultants who advised the local authority to establish the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff beg in Inagh.

The landfill, which has recently closed for all non-recyclable materials, has proved to be a loss-making venture for the local authority, despite a number of expert reports suggesting that it would generate million annually for the coffers of Clare County Council. Despite the closure of the landfill element of the Central Waste Management Facility, the local authority faces an annual bill for the upkeep of the landfill area for the next 20 years.

Kilnamona councillor James Breen (Ind), yesterday put a motion to Clare County Council, formally requesting that they contact their legal representatives and instruct them to begin legal proceedings.

“We are looking at spending tax payers money and rate payers money – millions for the next 20 years. I am instructing the county manager to contact his legal team and instruct them to begin legal action against the people responsible,” he said.

This motion was formally seconded by Shannon councillor Gerry Flynn (Ind) who did not make any formal comment on the motion.

Clare County Council did not have a formal response to Cllr Breen’s motion prepared – as would be traditional for council meeting, with county manager Tom Coughlan stating that he would respond to the motion at the November meeting.

“I didn’t prepare a response to that motion because I wanted to see if it would be proposed and seconded. To take legal proceedings against that proposal would be complex and expensive. I would like to come back to the motion with a report at the November meeting,” he said.

A number of legal actions have been made concerning the operation of the Ballyduff beg Waste Management Facility in recent years. Most recently the local authority settled an action taken by the environmental Protection Agency (EPA) out of court. In recent weeks the council has decided use the final tranche of the Community Development Fund, which was established to compensate those effected by the landfill, to compensate those living directly beside the facility.

A FACILITY for Kilrush, similar to Lee’s Road in Ennis, will be the “premier project” for Clare County Council this year.

The project planned for the Cooraclare Road in Kilrush is to include pitches, running tracks and astro turf facilities.

The project has been submitted for national sporting grants by Kilrush Town Council previously but with as yet no success.

The town council executive is confident that the project will be successful in securing grant funding this year and has also submitted it for consideration in a new national fund.

Town manager Anne Haugh explained that the county manager had agreed that the Kilrush project would be the primary project on a list seeking funding from the new national scheme – Sport Nation.

The new grant aid system is supported through the Public Bodies and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, with each department providing one third of the funding up to € 58,124. The remaining third needs to be raised from the local authority’s capital fund.

The council agreed that the first phase of the project to require funding should be the astro turf area.

The town council had previously agreed to set aside € 150,000 of money earmarked for special projects to the proposed Cooraclare Road Sports Development.

A lease for 25 years has also been signed for such the facility on the Cooraclare Road.

SHANNON Chamber of Commerce has received a big boost this week following the news that its chief executive has been appointed to the board of Chambers Ireland.

Helen Downes was ratified in the post at the Chambers Ireland AGM, held in Dublin last Wednesday, with her appointment announced on Friday last by Shannon Chamber president, Kevin Thompstone.

Congratulating Ms Downes on her appointment, Mr Thompstone said, “It’s a great honour for Shannon Chamber via Helen Downes to have input at board level in a national organisation. Helen’s nomination by the Chambers Ireland CEO Forum for a position on the board, and her existing representation as a member of Chambers Ireland Human Resources Policy Council, is both indicative of the high esteem in which she is held within the organisation, and her ability to make a valuable contribution to strategic considerations.

“Membership of Chambers Ireland board gives Shannon Chamber a forum to make representation on behalf of members and to input their views and commentary on national policy issues being considered by Chambers Ireland for presentation to government and key stakeholders. It will ensure that Shannon’s voice is heard at another key national level.”

About Helen Downes: Chief Executive of Shannon Chamber 2008, Helen Downes has spearheaded many new chamber initiatives to promote and encourage business growth and economic development in the Shannon area. These initiatives, which have also led to increased chamber membership, include a number of EU-focused seminars, a chamber HR forum, a CEO forum, a Business Watch scheme, and linkages with national and international business organisations in both the public and private sectors.

Shannon Chamber currently has over 250 member-companies drawn from a wide cross-section of business sectors that employ approximately 7, 500 people in the Shannon hinterland. Helen is responsible for representing their interests to key influencers and stakeholders, achieved through voicing membership concerns on issues that affect or impede enterprise development at local, regional and national levels

Ms Downes is also an active member of Chambers Ireland’s Human Resources Policy Council.

A JUDGE has said he will halt legal payments to solicitors from November onwards if clients fail to show up in court.

Judge Patrick Durcan told a sitting of Ennis District Court on Wednesday that from November 1 onwards he will start making orders for the non-payment of legal aid if accused persons fail to attend court dates.

Judge Durcan signalled his intent to halt some legal aid payments in September when he was critical of the high number of people not turning up in court.

On Wednesday Judge Durcan said the day is gone where Ireland can afford to fund people who show “total disregard” to institutions who are there to serve them.

His comments came as he issued a bench warrant for a man who had failed to show up for his case.

He told defence solicitor Tara Godfrey that this was the second occa- sion he had issued a bench warrant for the accused.

Ms Godfrey said it was unfair for practitioners to be penalised for their client’s absence. She said that by not paying solicitors, the court “effectively says our work is worthless”.

She told Judge Durcan she could not understand where he was coming from on the matter.

Judge Durcan said he was unhappy with the tone of Ms Godfrey’s comments, adding that he was willing to discuss his decision with a solicitor’s representative.

Judge Durcan added that the payments would only be withheld in situations where clients failed to show up. He said solicitors would still receive the initial assignment payment.

For a first court date solicitors can receive a maximum payment of up to € 201 for the first two cases in respect of one defendant, € 120.88 in relation to each subsequent case and € 50.39 for each subsequent hearing days.

THE success of North Clare as Ireland’s foremost eco-tourism hotspot has been recognised with the news that a major international conference will take place in Ennistymon next week.

Following the success of a number of diverse projects including the BurrenLIFE Project and the Burren Ecotourism Network, North Clare now looks set to place itself at the head of this emerging tourism sector.

The conference will feature contributions from leading international experts on sustainable tourism including the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism (France), Solimar International (USA), Cultural Site Research and Management (USA).

The event, which is called the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark LIFE Conference, could play an active role in shaping the future of sustainable tourism, not just in Ireland, but all over the world.

“Our premise in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark is that conservation and tourism depend on each other and support each other, and it’s clear that the balance can only be achieved through a partnership between conservation, economic and social interests and in particular, between agencies and local people,” Carol Gleeson, Manager of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark LIFE Programme.

“The aim of this conference is to explore this balance and partnership by considering international best practice and by developing ideas on the type of environments and partnerships we need to create here in Ireland, and in Europe, for sustainable destinations to flourish.

“We are delighted to have very ex- perienced international and national speakers and facilitators, and we invite all conference participants to contribute to the discussion forums. The presentations and discussions will be recorded and circulated after the conference.”

Conference keynote speakers include Catalina Etcheverry Partner Relationship Manager for the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism, Dr Douglas Comer President of Cultural Site Research and Management and the CSRM Foundation and Erika Harms of Solimar International.

A special presentation will also be made to Dr Pat O’Connor, former Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, in recognition of the role he played in securing Global Geopark Status for the Burren and Cliffs of Moher region.

The conference will take place at the Falls Hotel and Spa in Ennistymon on October 17 and 18.

A HORSE, who was trapped in the River Fergus for a number of hours or even days, is recovering well after her ordeal.

The horse entered the river close to Victoria Court area on the Lahinch Road and became trapped an unable to free itself. A passerby noticed the animal and contacted the authorities who came to assist the stranded animal.

The animal could not be coaxed closer to the bank of the river, so Clare County Council’s dog warden, Frankie Coote, was forced to don his swimming gear and enter the river. After some effort the horse was rescued from the Fergus and is recovering well.

“We got a report that there was a horse stuck in the River Fergus just off the Lahinch Road, behind Victoria Court. The horse had obviously been there quite a long time it was very cold weak,” said Frankie.

“Unfortunately the horse could not be caught from the banks so I had to swim around trying to get near the horse it took just over half hour to get the rope on. Garda Colin Egan and Garda Damian Quaid were there to help and we were able to find and notify the owner.

“I would like to say thanks to everyone that helped and especially to Pat Tierney from Drumcliff stables who often would help. Thankfully the horse is now recovering well.”

This dramatic rescue comes less than a month after a healthy horse choked to death when it became entangled in a rope used to tether it on the outskirts of Ennis in September.

Indeed, horses have had a number of difficult years in the county. Horse ownership grew dramatically during the Celtic Tigers years with a number of people not able to afford to maintain their animals once the recession hit.

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) advised last evening (Monday) that all patients who will be affected by today’s strike by junior doctors would already have been contacted by phone.

The health service was not able to say however how many operations, clinics and medical procedures at Ennis Hospital and the University Hospital Limerick have been cancelled as a result of the industrial action.

All appointments have been reviewed, theatre-by-theatre, clinicby-clinic, for all hospitals in the University Limerick group including Ennis Hospital, University Hospital Limerick, University Maternity Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, Croom Hospital and St John’s Hospital.

“The message we wish to give to the public is a simple one, if your procedure or operation has to be cancelled you will be contacted directly by phone call. If you do not hear from us you should present to the hospital as normal,” a spokesperson for the hospital group said.

Any patient appointment that has to be cancelled will be rescheduled he added.

Urgent care for areas such as oncology, dialysis and emergency will be provided. This means that the Emergency Department in Dooradoyle will be open and also the local injuries units in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s hospitals.

More than 3,000 medical doctors will force hospitals into a Sunday standard service from 7am to midnight in an unprecedented action over working hours.

Junior doctors have warned that tomorrow’s one-day strike may not be the last as negotiation with the HSE fail to find a resolution to the issue of non-consultant doctors working shifts of more than 24 hours. Tue8October13